


Oh Christmas Tree

by Six_G0lden_Wings



Series: 25 Days of Shipmas 2017 [6]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Cas doesn't understand, Christmas Fluff, Dean's super sentimental, M/M, but he doesn't want anyone to notice, childhood memories all over the place, fluffy fluffy fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-17 20:36:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13084872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Six_G0lden_Wings/pseuds/Six_G0lden_Wings
Summary: Today's prompt is Christmas tree.Team free will plus Gabe get a Christmas tree for the bunker. This is just ... all fluff.





	Oh Christmas Tree

Gabriel hummed "Oh Christmas Tree" to himself as in the backseat of Dean's impala as him, Castiel, Sam and Dean approached a Christmas tree farm. 

"I still don't understand the significance of coniferous trees during Christmas." Castiel randomly piped up as Dean parked, and everyone laughed slightly in spite of themselves. Gabriel sighed happily and clapped the other angel on the back. "Oh Cassy. Always so ... vivid."

"Well Cas," Dean started, stepping out of the car, "almost everyone puts up a Christmas tree. They've been a tradition and a symbol of sorts of Christmas, ever since ... well, ever." 

Sam scoffed and joined the conversation, "Actually Dean, they haven't been around for 'ever'. The oldest records of a Christmas tree was in Latvia, Germany, in 1510, but that was more a ... new year's tree. They really became popular when 1848 when Queen Victoria convinced her German husband to decorate a tree. Since she was the Queen, people followed her  and started putting up Christmas trees themselves. The rest is history."

He ended with an honest look on his face, but Dean rolled his eyes. "How do you even know that?" He questioned, but Sam just shrugged his shoulders. Dean chuckled and continued, proposing, "Well, are we gonna get a tree or what?"

The group consecutively agreed and they walked into the farm.

Several minutes later, the two hunters were deep in dispute.

"C'mon Sammy, tall trees are better!" Dean bickered, gesturing to a skinny, roughly 9 foot tree.

"Are not! Those things have no appeal at all! I'm telling you, a shorter, fatter tree would be the best option." Sam argued, leaning towards a fatter, 6 foot tree.

"Says you!" Dean retorted, "Those things look dopey! And the ceiling in the library is tall enough to house one of these bad boys."

"Who cares if it's tall enough!" Sam shot back, "A short tree is bold and majestic. Much better looking than those spindly ... things."

"Excuse me? Tall trees are just as awesome. Imagine this beauty standing proud and tall in the library." Dean began, but Sam refused.

"Nuh uh. Those things are just ... no. Plus, one with a bigger radius has room for ornaments. Doesn't get better than that." Sam began, but Dean's face curled into a frown.

"What ornaments?"

Sam suddenly went quiet, now refusing to meet Dean's eyes. Meanwhile, the two angels were standing in an awkward silence. A look of horror and understanding adorned Dean's face, and he sighed, looking down at his shoes. 

"Sam, I'm sorry ... I didn't mean-" He began, but Sam cut him off before he could finish.

"No no, you're right." He said solemnly, "A tall tree is probably best."

Dean looked up at him, and shook his head. "No, you're the one with better judgement after all. I think a fatter tree would be better."

Sam chuckled sadly and looked back up at him. The brothers shared an understanding look before Dean's eyebrow cocked with an idea. 

"Hey," He turned to the angels, "what do you guys think?"

"Well, personally I-" Castiel began, though he was interrupted by a snap from Gabriel. Suddenly a tree, about 8 1/2 feet tall but also with a wide radius, appeared before them. It was a great looking tree as well: Full green branches, and a strong base. Dean approached it, marveling in it's beauty.

"Well, I think this solves the problem, what about you guys?" He stated happily, and Sam nodded vigorously. Castiel smiled and looked at Gabriel, who just winked back at him. 

"Well, should we get this back to the car then?" The archangel asked, and everyone nodded, picking up the impressive tree. They traveled back to the impala, before Dean promptly stopped and shook his head in disbelief.

"Son of a bitch," He moaned, "I forgot the ties." 

Sam laughed in disbelief before looking to his boyfriend expectantly. Dean had forgotten things so often that Gabriel knew what to do. He snapped and some sturdy rope appeared in Dean's hand. 

"Oh ... thanks Gabe!" He thanked the archangel, getting to work on tying the tree to his impala. The other three pitched in, and soon the tree was secure against the car. 

"Well Deano," Gabriel announced, "Not bad for not doing this in ages."

"Um ... I'm going to take that as a compliment because I don't want to punch you." Dean chuckled, "So, thanks!"

"Don't mention it." Gabriel laughed, ducking into the backseat of the impala. They drove off towards the bunker, and Gabriel began to hum "Oh Christmas Tree" again. Castiel looked at him with that semi-confused look he has, and Gabriel snorted. 

"What? Can't I be festive?" He asked, giving Castiel a toothy grin. The angel grinned back, and nodded his head.

"Of course Gabriel. It's just ... you haven't been so celebratory in a long time." He said, smiling down at his lap. "I suppose it is your time of the year againt though."

" _Your_  time?" Sam piped up from the front seat. Gabriel huffed a laugh, looking at Castiel.

"No I- Cas, for the last time, I just called it that when we were young to impress you." He admitted, laughing at the fond memories of when he and Castiel were young.

"I'm still confused ..." Sam added randomly, and Gabriel let out another little laugh. 

"Alright Samwich, story time." He began, "When he was a fledgling, Cassy here looked up to me like I was Dad or something. I took advantage of that a lot, being the youngest archangel after all, and I pretended I was more important than I actually was. I called Christmas time 'my time of the year', because technically I'm partially responsible for its existence, telling Mary about her baby and all." 

Sam was about to respond but Gabriel kept talking, "Hey, have I ever told you how beautiful she was? Sheesh, most beautiful girl I've ever seen, no wonder Dad chose her to knock up!"

"Alright Gabe, I've heard enou-" Sam began, but Gabriel wasn't done. "Really! She had the waviest hair, like the ocean, and it was such a rich brown you wouldn't believe it. And here eyes ... oh boy. They were the bluest blue to ever blue. Like sapphires they were, gleaming in the light. Her cheeks were somehow always rosy, and her smile ... it was so bright, so happy, so pure."

"Hey Romeo! You've already got a boyfriend!" Dean laughed, nudging Sam's shoulder.

Gabriel smiled and rolled his eyes, "Yeah, sorry Samsquatch." He leaned forward to the front seat and planted a kiss on Sam's cheek. "Love you!"

"Love you too Gabe." Sam smiled, his green eyes meeting Gabriel's golden ones. They shared a moment before Castiel notified them all the the approaching bunker. 

After much struggle and one shouting match, they got the tree into the bunker's library. Dean propped it against the wall and stepped back proudly. His expression suddenly dropped when he realized they had no way to support it, or even any decorations. 

He turned to Sam, Gabriel and Castiel, "Guys, what are we gonna do with this tree? We don't ... we don't have any ornaments, lights, nothing." 

\---

_It was December 25th, 1990. Sam was asleep, John was out on a hunt, and he was out in the cold, without a coat, looking for a tree. He traveled from lot to lot looking for unattended trees he could take back to the motel, but he didn't have much luck._

_"Come on Dean." Dean whispered to himself, "You promised Sam a Christmas, and a Christmas he's gonna get!"_

_He traveled far and wide, and eventually found a scrappy, little 4 foot tree on someone's curb._

_"This'll do." He grunted, before slinging it over his shoulder and marching back to the hotel. It was a long journey for an 11 year old, but he did it. He found their motel room, and silently opened the door. He dragged in the tree and dropped it against the wall next to the door. He stepped back, slightly proud of his work, but his expression suddenly dropped when he realized the had no decorations._

_He sighed before walking back out into the cold in search of something. He remembered a string of lights in the motel lobby, and headed over. The employee was asleep, so he easily unplugged the lights and coiled them up into a ball. He walked back to the motel room and once again snuck in. He wrapped the lights around the sad tree before plugging the cord into a nearby grubby outlet. The lights lit up, and suddenly the tree was a Christmas tree. He looked at the tree, and realized this was the first time they'd had their own Christmas tree. Every other Christmas was spent on the road, with no festivity, or even presents. He let a single tear roll down his cheek, and soon enough he was crying. He cried for a long time, it was a miracle Sam hadn't woken up yet._

_Suddenly, his father's voice sounded in his head, "Really Dean? Crying? You're not a baby, you're not hurt, so quite it. Really, you should be more mature than this. I can't believe you."_

_Dean nodded his head, and wiped the tears from his eyes. He looked from the tree to Sam, then back to the tree. He huffed a sigh before heading back out on stage two of his plan: presents._

_\---_

Gabriel and Castiel shared a look, before they both snapped and a handful of ornaments appeared in their hands. Sam and Dean's eyes widened, and Dean smiled happily. He took some bulbs from their palms and placed them on the tree. He smiled even brighter and looked back to the angels. Gabriel nodded in comprehension and snapped up a box of iridescent red, gold and green bulbs and a string of lights.

He walked over to Sam with the lights and gestured to the tree, "Shall we?"

Sam nodded shyly and took the end of the string of lights and planting it at the top of the tree. Gabriel smiled up at him, and he smiled back, expression full of happiness. The pair wound the string around the tree and when they were done the tree was _glowing_. The hunter placed his hand around the archangel and they stood admiring the work. Sam heard Gabriel snap and he looked down to see him holding a small book ornament.

He handed it to Sam, and smiled, "Merry Christmas kiddo." Sam took the ornament, and when he looked closer he saw that it wasn't just any book. It was a small depiction of Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, one of his favorite books. 

"Oh Gabriel ..." A shocked look appeared on his face, and he looked lovingly at the archangel, "Thank you."

Gabriel only smiled and kissed Sam. "Now," he whispered against Sam's lips, "go hand it up. Lets see how this bad boy looks in action."

Sam let out a little chuckle before pacing over to the tree. He carefully hung the book on a branch and stepped back.

Meanwhile, Castiel saw the whole thing go down, and turned to Dean. He hesitantly waved up a small impala ornament and walked over to where the hunter was hanging ornaments.

"Dean?" He began as Dean turned towards him with a curious expression on his face.

"Yeah Cas? What is it?" He asked, not seeing the miniature car in his hand. Castiel brought it up to eye level, and gingerly handed it to Dean. His eyes widened in disbelief, as he looked from the ornament back to Castiel, and then back to the ornament. 

"C-Castiel, did you make this ... for me?" He stuttered, looking at the angel with pure love in his eyes. Castiel nodded hesitantly, and Dean grinned wider than he had in a long time.

"Thank you." He began to babble, "Thank you so much Cas ... I, just ... you really did this for me?"

Castiel nodded again, and Dean continued. "That's so unbelievable man. This, this means a lot. Thank you, so much." With that he pulled Castiel into a tight embrace, pulling the angel snug against him. Castiel looked up at Dean with an hopeful expression on his face, and Dean understood, hoping over to the tree. He hung the car on the tree and stepped back proudly. He looked back to Castiel, who already had more bulbs in his hands. He chuckled, and took some as well. 

Finally, Dean placed the last ornament on the tree with honor, placing it gingerly on the best branch. When he stepped back with the others, he frowned. 

"Something's missing."

*snap*

"Oh right, a star!" Sam cheered, taking the metallic star out of the archangel's outstretched hands. He stood went over to Dean, offering him a grip on the star. He accepted, and the brothers walked to the tree holding the star together. They raised their arms to the very to top and daintily placed the star on the top of the tree. 

Gabriel and Castiel watched from afar, smiling proudly at their hunters. However, Castiel noticed something else in the palm of Gabriel's hand. 

"Gabriel," he piped up, "I think you forgot an ornament!" 

Gabriel looked down into his hand and smiled sweetly. "Yeah ..." Was all he said before extending his hand to Castiel. The angel saw a smaller version of his navy blue tie attached to a string. It was an ornament. 

"Gabriel ... thank you, brother." Castiel spewed, pulling the archangel into a hug. Gabriel was surprised, but he hugged back as well. When they broke apart, Castiel waved his hand and 3 pairs of small golden wings in his palm. Gabriel took them admiringly, smiling up at Castiel.

"Look at that," He said, "One for you one for me." With that the two angels walked over to the tree as the two hunters walked away. The brothers watched as their angels hung their own ornaments on the tree. 

They stepped back to where Sam and Dean were standing, and they all admired the tree together. Sam pulled Gabriel tight, and Dean slung his arm over Castiel as well. 

"It's perfect."


End file.
